Threat

Meanwhile.

Nanning County, Guangfu Ward in South City.

The walls were crumbling and grey, the streets muddy, and a cold wind whipped up the dust.

This was one of the areas with the highest concentration of refugees, teeming with firewood vendors, laborers, gamblers, beggars, vagrants, and various half-shady gangs.

At a rundown tea stall on the street corner, a tattered curtain hung aslant and steam billowed.

Zhang Qiang sat right there, his chest bare and his face glistening with oil. One hand gripped a coarse porcelain teacup while the other rested on the back of his chair, like a resting fierce tiger, his presence steady and oppressive.

Hot tea brewed in the mist, yet there was not a trace of leisure in his eyes.

Gurgle—

Just as he took a sip of tea, he suddenly heard a series of pattering footsteps from behind the curtain, and someone ducked their head and hurried in.

It was one of his scouts—skinny and withered, with a slick face and exceptionally light footsteps. The man pressed close to Zhang Qiang's ear and whispered a few words.

Zhang Qiang's teacup paused, the porcelain striking the wooden table with a crisp clatter.

His brows slowly furrowed, his gaze turning suddenly sharp like a blade un sheathed. The hostility that had originally been concealed swept across him like a rising tide.

"You've got some nerve..."

A cold sneer hooked the corner of his mouth, his voice low, yet sounding like the gnashing of a beast crushing bones.

"Taking Laozi's money to pay for a household registry?"

"And the motherfucker actually had the guts!"

The final sentence was spoken through gritted teeth, as though stained with blood.

He slowly stood up, broad and tall, the firewood saber at his waist swaying gently. The iron scabbard clanked crisply, causing the people at the tea stall to instinctively back away three paces.

Seeing that his expression was foul, the lackling quickly said, "That brat just left the city, saying he was going to look at that patch of wasteland assigned to him. I found out clearly; the wasteland is at—"

"Well done!" Zhang Qiang raised a hand and waved it, his tone tinged with restless appreciation.

His gaze turned cold as he pointed at two fierce and courageous confidants beside him. "You, and you, come with me."

With that, he kicked away the bamboo chair. The teacup overturned, and scalding tea dripped along the edge of the table, splashing a puddle of water onto the ground.

Zhang Qiang had already strode out of the tea stall, his footsteps sounding like drums and his killing intent like the wind.

The firewood saber at his waist quivered slightly, as though it too thirsted for the beginning of a hunt.

Pedestrians on the street hurriedly gave way. That was "Zhang Qiang of the Firewood Gang," notorious for killing without blinking an eye; no one wished to provoke him.

Meanwhile, Gu Chang'an walked slowly out of the yamen, his eyes clear as he gazed at the street under the sunlight.

This is the first step.

From now on, I am no longer a refugee.

At the same time, his system panel changed.

[Name: Gu Chang'an]
[Lifespan: 1 year and 5 months]
[Status: Farmer (Commoner)]
[Realm: None]
[Physique: 42 (+2/day)]
[Technique: Iron Cutting Saber Technique (Yellow Grade Low Rank, Initial Mastery)+]

Not bad, the daily numerical increase had doubled.

Carrying a pleasant mood, Gu Chang'an headed outside the city.

He stepped onto the wasteland overgrown with weeds, the mud sinking past his ankles, and a faint damp, rotting stench rose from deep within the earth.

Looking at this mu of land before him, covered in foxtail grass, wild roses, and hard patches of yellow soil, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

Registering a household could actually get you land?

It sounded wonderful, but if it were truly that good, how could it ever fall to a refugee like him?

This so-called "fertile land" was not only far from the city walls and situated low, but it was also cut into two sections by a ditch, and every year he still had to pay three hundred and seventy wen in land taxes.

And if he didn't pay?

The light punishment meant corvée labor;

The heavy punishment meant being drafted into the army and exiled.

"When all is said and done, the moment I got that household registry, I became a beast of burden for Nanning County." He muttered to himself.

He gripped the rough cloth-wrapped firewood saber in his hand, saying in a deep voice, "This land is a dead end. If I don't want to sink into becoming a lowly serf, my only choice is to master my saber technique, and then scheme for a status that can exempt me from taxes."

Just as he prepared to leave, he suddenly heard movement in the grass in the distance.

Snap—snap—

Three figures slowly emerged from the weeds.

Gu Chang'an's gaze suddenly turned cold. Walking at the very front was a familiar face—Zhang Qiang.

Following behind him were two subordinates, both well-known thugs in the Firewood Gang: Zhang San and Li Si.

The three of them walked steadily. Though their sabers remained in their scabbards, their presence was like a wolf pack locking onto its prey.

Seeing this, Gu Chang'an understood in his heart that they had not come with good intentions.

[Zhang Qiang: Physique 45]
[Zhang San: Physique 35]
[Li Si: Physique 31]

The highest was Zhang Qiang, with a physique of 45.

But I possess the Iron Cutting Saber Technique. If I launch a sneak attack, perhaps...

Zhang Qiang's gaze was sullen, a cold sneer playing on his lips. "Gu Chang'an, I heard you registered your household today and even got land assigned to you. You're here to check out that plot now, aren't you?"

The corners of Gu Chang'an's mouth twitched slightly as he said in a low voice, "The land is a wasteland, and moreover, the taxes cannot be exempted. To be honest, I'm actually worried I won't be able to afford them."

Zhang Qiang spat in disdain. "Keep acting, go on acting. You chop firewood for a whole month and only make a few hundred wen—where did the eight hundred wen for the household registry come from?"

"Master Zhang, I saved it up by selling firewood every day. You know what I'm like; I never slack off."

"Cut the crap!" Zhang Qiang's murderous intent suddenly flared. He stepped forward aggressively, nearly pressing right up against Gu Chang'an's face. "I reckon the money you used came from murder and robbery!"

Li Si grinned, his voice hoarse and low. "The killing intent on you hasn't faded yet, kid. Did you think we wouldn't be able to tell?"

A shock rippled through Gu Chang'an's heart, but his face betrayed no hint of it. He slowly took a step forward and murmured, "Master Zhang, I'm not that kind of person. I only have a little over ten wen left on me; I'll give it all to you."

With that, he pulled a small cloth bundle from his bosom and spilled a dozen copper coins out with a rattle.

Zhang San immediately cursed in anger, "Brat, are you fucking trying to brush off a beggar?"

Li Si sneered. "You really look down on our Firewood Gang. Master Zhang, this little punk has a stiff mouth—let's chop off one of his legs first!"

Zhang Qiang, however, waved a hand. A smile hung on his face, making him look all the more chilling.

His tone was unhurried, yet every single sentence reeked of a desire to kill:

"Gu Chang'an, a person has to be reasonable—you used my stake money to exchange for a household registry, so however you look at it, this ledger needs to be cleared up."

"One thousand wen per person, three thousand for the three of us, plus the eight hundred wen for the household registry—you owe me three thousand eight hundred wen."

"Of course, we aren't unreasonable people either—I know you don't have that much money right now, so you can run a debt."

"However..." He licked the corner of his mouth, his gaze turning venomous. "Interest is always required. Three hundred wen in interest every month. If you don't pay, we'll hack off your fingers, one joint at a time."

Hearing this, Gu Chang'an felt as though he had plunged into an icy abyss.

"Of course..." Zhang Qiang twisted his neck, his firewood saber sliding half an inch out of its scabbard with a click as a cold gleam flashed. "You can refuse right now—only, within a ten-li radius of this wasteland, even wild dogs don't show up."

"If you die here, within a few days at most you'll be swallowed clean by beasts, and no one will remember you."

Winds rose all around, the grass stirring like snakes, and a dead silence bore down.

Zhang San and Li Si slowly closed in around Gu Chang'an, resembling hunters surrounding their prey, their eyes filled with plunder and contempt.

Gu Chang'an took a deep breath, his complexion turning fierce and hard like iron as he slowly lowered his head. "...Fine, I agree."

Zhang Qiang grinned broadly, seemingly holding victory in his grasp, and was just about to say, "Count your blessings,"

When in that very instant, Gu Chang'an jerked his head up, his gaze like a blade!

The next second, his saber flashed forth—as resounding as rolling thunder!